How One of the World’s Wealthiest Individuals Avoided Taxes for Years
Many people are always complaining that the wealthy don’t pay their fair share in taxes. While that is an argument that will never end, it seems that one of the world’s richest men might be guilty. That’s because he was able to avoid paying taxes for more than 40 years. How is that possible? The wealthy taxpayer in question is the founder of IKEA, Ingvar Kamprad, who is reportedly one of the top ten richest people in the world.
Although IKEA is clearly influenced by all things Swedish, the man who built the IKEA empire left his native country more than 40 years ago in the name of tax savings. IKEA is the number one furniture store in the world and in the fiscal year 2014-2015 the company reported 31.9 billion euros. However, taxes have always been a huge part of IKEA’s success. That’s exactly why Mr. Kamprad left the country he loves for Switzerland. He wanted a tax break.
While he did pay taxes in Switzerland during those 40 years, he legally avoided what would have been a much larger bill if he had stayed in Sweden, for both his company and his personal income. Now, after all these years he has returned to his native Sweden and in 2014 he paid what amounted to about $2 million in taxes to Sweden, while his net worth is reportedly worth an estimated $43.2 billion.
Embrace Opportunities and Be Flexible in Your Plan
Embrace Opportunities and Be Flexible in Your Plan Life is a journey and the race is usually not won in a day. While it’s important to plan ahead and it’s a good idea to map out your future, the fact is things don’t always go according to plan. Thus, it’s very important to be flexible…
What Philanthropy Really Is
What Philanthropy Really Is What comes to your mind when you hear the word philanthropy? Perhaps you think of giving away money to a great cause in order to help further its purpose. Maybe it’s a large donation to a school, a community service or a new building designed to help many. Of course, philanthropy…
How to Be a Leader: Dispelling the Myths
How to Be a Leader: Dispelling the Myths No matter what position you hold in your company, your ability to lead will greatly determine the extent of your success. Leadership skills enable you to guide customers effectively, get team members and company leadership to buy in to your ideas, and develop the respect and reputation…
What Makes a Great Boss Unforgettable?
What Makes a Great Boss Unforgettable? Have you ever had one of “those” bosses? You know the type. The kind of person that walks around like a prison guard, always peering over your shoulder through his or her mirrored glasses, ready to pounce on you like a lion at the first sign of trouble. Of…